Coin collecting and receipting device



Nov. 18, 1958 N. E. MOXLEY com COLLECTING AND RECEIPTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1954 I NVENTOR a a l.

Q 2% IV. E- Moxley M M ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1958 N. E. MOXLEY com COLLECTING AND RECEIPTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1954 OOQOO 0060 9 00 00 5 INVENTOR 1V. E- Moxley ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1958 N. E. MOXLEY COIN COLLECTING AND RECEIPTING DEVICE :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 21, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,860,753 COIN COLLECTING AND RECEIPTING DEVICE Norman E. Moxley, Ellicott City, Md. 7 Application September 21, 1954, Serial No. 457,329

3 Claims. (Cl. 194-78) This invention relates to a coin operated receipting device, and more specifically, the invention pertains to a coin collector mechanism especially designed to collect.

traffic fines and to receipt the ticket given to the violator by an oificer. The present invention is a continuationin-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 410,245, filed February 15, 1954, and entitled Coin Collector for Traffic Violations.

As has been set forth in my prior application, the mechanism to which his invention relates is designed to facilitate the collection of minor fines involving traflic violations. In many occasions such as over-time parking, or parking in an unauthorized space, a parking ticket is made out by an officer and given to the offender. Under such circumstances it is necessary for the operator of the vehicle to make a trip to the police station to pay the fine. This normally consumes a considerable amount of time for the violator and involves considerable bookkeeping by the Police Department. Additionally, it is infrequent that the very inconvenience in not being able to make such a payment to the'authorities results in delay or failure, in fact, to make payment. Under these conditions, the original small fine is increased and the driver or violator may be forcibly escorted to the police station giving rise to unfortunate and strained public relationship to the ofiicials and citizens.

Consequently, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a fine collecting device and mechanism for receipting as paid the ticket issued by an officer in connection with a minor traffic violation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system for the payment of traific violations which includes a ticket to be filled in by an officer with a coin operable machine which will punch the ticket paid, remove a coupon from the ticket for use as a record by the Traffic Department, and at the same time leave the remaining portion of the ticket as a receipt by the driver, all of these objects being accomplished without the identification of the officer to the violator, while at the same time providing a non-fixable record for the accounting department of the police department.

A still further object of this invention is to provide, in a mechanism of the type described, means for rejecting coins of the improper denomination.

This invention also contemplates the provision of means in a coin operated device of the type referred to supra which effectively prevents the operation of the device until the proper number of coins have been deposited therein.

As a still further object of this invention, it is proposed to provide a collecting device which is so constructed and arranged that it may be operated by inserting a single coin of a given denomination or a plurality of coins of smaller denomination but equal in value to the larger com.

This invention is also directed to the provision of a special ticket adapted for use in a device of the type to which reference has been made, the ticket serving as notice of a fine, the amount thereof, a receipt for the violator, and a severable coupon to be retained in the machine for the bookkeeping department of the traffic department.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which is inexpensive to ice .with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a fine collecting and receipting device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in cross-section, of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the horizontal plane of line 44 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the relationship of the elements after operation of the device.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the carriage element.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a ticket after having been receipted by the machine.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a cam controlled fine collecting and receipting device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The device 10 includes a housing 12 having a substantially rectangular base 14 detachably connected with the lower ends of a pair of spaced, substantially rectangular front and rear panels 16, 18, and side panels 20, 22. An arcuately shaped closure member 24 is detachably secured to the upper ends of the front, rear and side panels.

A substantially U-shaped first side frame member 26 having inwardly extending arms 28, 30 and a bight 32 is disposed within the housing 12 with the bight thereof parallel and adjacent to the side 20 and its arms parallel and adjacent to the front and rear panels 16, 18. A

substantially Z-shaped second side frame member 34 is disposed within the housing 12 with its bight portion 36 in confronting spaced and parallel relation with respect to the bight 32 of the U-shaped member. An arm 38 extends laterally from one end of the bight 36 toward the arm 28 and is aligned therewith proximate the rear panel 18. The other arm 40 of the Z-shaped side frame member is bent laterally away from its bight in the opposite direction and is aligned with the arm 30 proximate the front panel 16. As is seen in Figures 1 and 2, a tine 42 having a point 44 at one of its ends is threadedly engaged at its other end 46 in a suitable opening formed in the arm 40. A radial flange 48 extends from the tine 42 adjacent its threaded end and abuts against the arm 40 to lend rigidity to the tine.

An enlarged, substantially rectangular opening 49 is formed in the bight 36 adjacent the arm 40, and a substantially horizontally elongated slot 50 is also provided, the slot 50 and opening 49 being adjacent one another to serve functions to be described. A second slot 52, substantially rectangular in configuration is cut into the bight 36 adjacent the other arm 38 thereof, and a circular opening 54 is also provided, the slot 52 and opening 54 each having functions which will be further described.

A central frame 56, substantially Ul-shaped in configuration is disposed between the first and second frame members, 26, 28, respectively, with an arm 58 abutting against the bight 36 and secured thereto as by counter sunk bolts 60. The other arm 62 abuts against the bight 32 in abutting relation by counter sunk bolts 63. The bight 64 of the central frame 56 extends between the arms 58 and 62 adjacent the inner side 66 of the opening 49.

The arm 58 is formed with a substantially rectangular opening 67, a circular opening 68, and a horizontal, elongated slot 70, each being aligned with the corresponding opening 52, circular opening 68 and horizontal slot 50 formed in the bight 36, respectively.

The bight 64 extends to a vertical slot 72 formed in the bight 32, the slot 72 being aligned with a vertical slot 74 provided in the side 20 of the casing 12. Additionally, the bight 32 and arm 62 are provided with aligned circular openings. 76 and 78, respectively, which are of the same diameter as the circular openings 54 and 68 formed in the bight 36 and arm 58.

A coin receiving chute 80 is provided and comprises a vertically disposed stationary plate 82 having integrally formed laterally extending side armsv 84, 86, formed with circular openings 88, 90, the opening 88 being of the same diameter as the diameter of the openings 76, 78 and is aligned therewith. Similarly, the opening 90 is of equal diameter as the diameters of the openings 54, 67 and is aligned therewith. A coin guide 92 is secured to the plate 82 and to a second plate 94. positioned parallel to the plate 82. The plate 94 has a vertical dimension less than that of the plate 82 to provide space for a third plate 96 having apertured lugs 98 pivotally mounted adjacent the opposite ends of a rod 100. The rod 100 extends between and is secured in suitable apertures formed in the bight 36 and arm 58 and bight 32 and arm 62. The plate 96 is connected at 102 with one end of a helicoidal spring 104 under compression and having its other end engaging against the arm 38 and surrounding a keeper lug 106 which projects laterally therefrom. The plates 82' and 96 are each provided with a plurality of spaced pairs of aligned openings 108, 110, 112, 114, and 116, 118, respectively, which serve a function to be described.

A third plate 120 having a laterally ofiset apertured lug 122 adjacent its lower end is pivotally mounted on a rod 124 which has its opposite ends supported and secured in the bight 36 and arm 58, and bight 32 and arm 62. A plurality of pins 126, 128 and 130 project laterally from the plate 120 for registry with the openings formed in the plates 82 and 96, and a helicoidal spring 132 under compression surrounds the pin 126 with one of its ends bearing against the plate 82 while its other end abuts against the adjacent side of the plate 120. Thus the plate 120 is constantly biased for movement away from the plate 82.

A substantially U-shaped carriage member 123 having opposed arms 125, 127, slotted at 129, 131, respectively, and terminating in inwardly turned and confronting ends 133, 134 is supported on the bight 36 and arm 58 with the bight 136 slidably mounted in the horizontal slots 50 and 70. An elongated shaft 138 extends through the slots 129, 131, the openings 54, 67, 90, 88, 78 and 76 and is journalled in the latter.

Eccentrics 135, 137 are fixedly secured on the shaft 138 adjacent each end thereof and is adapted to engage against the ends 133, 134 of the carriage and the oppositely disposed adjacent portion of the bight 136. A cam 140 is freely mounted on the shaft 138 and is secured to the eccentric 135 as by a rivet 142.

A plate 144 having counter sunk openings 146 formed therein to receive the heads of the punches 148 of various lengths is secured to the bight 136 by screws 150.

A fibre punch guide 152 having a plurality of punch guide passages 154 formed therein engages the bight 64 and is secured thereto by bolts 156 which extend therethrough and through a bight 158 of a channel member 160 having oppositely disposed arms 162, 164 secured by screws 166 to the bights 36 and 32, respectively.

A substantially lJ-shaped element 168 is disposed in the opening 49 and is secured to the arm 162 by screws 170. The bight 172 thereof is undercut and sharpened to a cutting edge 174.

One arm 176 of a substantially channel-shaped member 178 is'sharpened to a. cutting edge 180 inclined. on

an angle and confronts the cutting edge 174. The member 178 is positioned with the arm 176 in sliding engagement with the outer sides of the arms 175, 177 and the outer side of the bight 36 in a manner to be described.

The bight 181 is secured to the bight 136 by screws 182, and the other arm 184 is formed with a lateral flange 186 having an opening 188 oppositely disposed from the pointed end of the tine 42.

The two bights 64 and 158 are held in slightly spaced relation by spacers 190, 192 disposed therebetween and each is provided with guide pin passages 194, 196 aligned with the punches 148 which are so arranged as to-perforate. a ticket 198 in the form of the word Paid as at- 200 inFigure 7. The passage 202 between these bights is aligned with the slot 74 formed in side 20 of the housing 12.

The shaft 138 is provided with a second cam 204 intermediate its ends and is fixedly secured thereto by set screw 206 and is adapted to engage and bear against the plate and the bight 136 when the machine 10 is in its inoperative position as shown in Figure 4. A

manually operated lever 208 is secured by pin 210 to that end of the shaft adjacent the side wall 22, and adjacent thereto is fixedly secured, by set screw 212, one end of a second lever 214. The other end of the lever 214 is constantly biased for downward movement under the influence of the spring 216 which is connected thereto and to a pin 218 which projects laterally from the bight 36.

Especial attention is directed to the arrangement of pins 220, 222, 224 and 226 which project laterally from the plate 82 towards the plate 96 and the shape of the coin guide elements 228, 230 interposed therebetween and secured to the plate 82.

The pins are arranged so that if a quarter 232 is inserted through an opening 234 below the guide bar 92 the coin will ride on the curved surface 236 and will strike pin 220 and is thereby caromed into engagement with the pin 224 below the lip 238 and falls downwardly to become wedged between the pin 226 and the side 240 of the guide element 230. Now, if a coin of lesser denomination be inserted, it will ride on the surface 236 and will strike the upper edge of the coin 232, the pins 222, 224, and will fall into a collection container 242 disposed beneath the chute 80.

A coin of larger denomination such as a fifty cent piece 243 is inserted into the chute 80 over the guide 92 and falls between the pin 220 and the vertical shoulder 244. The latter is widened at 246 to provide an abutment which co-operates with the pin 222 to hold the com in position.

The lower opposite sides of the plate 82 are provided with inwardly turned flanges 248, 250 which deflect the deposited coins into the container 242.

The container 242 is formed of rigid material and is provided with a slot 252 to permit visual verification of the deposited coins.

Suitable means such as a bracket 254 engages the bottom of the container and the bracket is secured to the bottom 14 by conventional means.

The ticket 198 is substantially T-shaped to provide a handle portion 256, a main body portion 258, and an end stub portion 260.

In operation, and assuming that the ticket 198 has had the main body portion thereof and the stub inscribed with the amount of the fine ($0.50) and other data, the recipient of the ticket grasps the handle portion and inserts the main body portion and the stub through the slot 74 and forces the main body portion 258 and stub 260 through the passage 202 until the handle strikes the casing 12. At this time, the stub has passed between the cutting edges 174, and has passed between the opening 188 and the tine 42.

The operator then inserts a coin into. the chute 80. If itis smaller than a quarter it will pass. into the container:

242 as described above. If it be assumed that a quarter 232 is deposited, it will come to rest in the position shown in Figure 3. Now downward movement of the lever 208 will cause the eccentrics 135, 137 to bear against the adjacent portions of the bight 136 to move the carriage to the right, as viewed in Figure 2. Substantially simultaneously therewith the longest pin 148a penetrates the ticket and the cam 204 forces the plate 120 to rotate towards the plate 82. The length of the pin 300 is not long enough to engage the coin 232 and to force it against the plate 96 to cause the plate 96 to pivot a sufiicient distance whereby the tip 302 will clear the projection 304 of the plate 96 which extends through the aligned slots 52 and 67 in the path thereof.

Upon the insertion of a second quarter 225 which comes to rest as shown in Figure 3, the pin 306 engages through the opening 112 and forces the coin laterally away from plate 82 and against the plate 96 upon rotation of the shaft 138. The pin 306 is sufficiently long to cause the plate 96 to pivot a sufficient distance so that the lower end of projection 304 is moved from the path of the cam end 302. The quarter 232 then drops downwardly While the quarter 225 is retained between the plate 96 and the end of the pin 306. Thereafter, the end 304 of the cam 140 rides against the projection and is of sufiicient radial length as to move the plate 96 away from the coin thus permitting it to drop.

The fifty cent fine could also be paid with a single fifty cent piece 243. In this case, the pin 308 surrounded by a helicoidal spring 310 is of sufficient length as to force the coin against the plate 96 causing it to pivot a sufficient distance whereby the cam end 302 clears the lower edge of the projection 304 and to subsequently engage the projection to move the plate 96 away from the coin 243 thereby effecting its release.

The spring 310 constantly tends to bias the plate 120 for movement toward the earn 204.

As this action takes place, the carriage 123 moves to the right as seen in Figure 3 and the punches 148 perforate the main body portion 258 of the ticket as shown in Figure 7 while at the same time the blade end 180 is moved toward the blade end 174 to sever the stub 260 from the main body portion 258. The flange 186 also moves to the right and forces the stub to be impinged on the tine 42.

The tine 42, being removable, can be detached from the arm 40 and filed for ready reference by the traffic department.

After the receipting operation has taken place, the lever 208 is released by the operator and returns to its inoperative position under the tension of the spring 214. Rotation of the lever 208 effects rotation of the shaft 138 which causes the eccentrics 135, 137 to rotate in the opposite direction and bear against the ends 133, 134 of the carriage assembly moving the assembly laterally to the left and effects the withdrawal of the punches 148 from the body portion 258 of the ticket 198.

Substantially simultaneous with this movement of the carriage, the cam and/or tip 302 rotates downwardly on the projection 304 of the plate 94 for release and pivotal movement thereof to its normally inactive position. Also substantially simultaneous with this operation, the helicoidal spring 310 under compression, forces the plate 96 to pivot in its opposite direction to withdraw the pins 300, 306, and 308 from their respective openings for return to its normal inoperative position.

In order to prevent a wrinkling of the ticket 198, the punches 148 are made of various lengths so that the course of the punches in making the perforations is distributed over several increments of time.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin operated ticket receipting machine comprising a housing, ticket guide means disposed in said housing and extending transversely thereacross, a carriage mounted for reciprocation on said housing, said .carriage having a plurality of punches mounted thereon and adapted for movement towards and away from said ticket guide means, said punches having a length to extend across said ticket guide means, a coin chute connected with said housing, said coin chute comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel upright plates, a third plate pivotally mounted for rotation below one of said pair of plates, the other of said pair of plates and said pivotally mounted plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein and substantially in registerwith each other, a fourth plate pivotally mounted on said housing adjacent the other of said pair of plates, said fourth plate having a plurality of coin sensing pins mounted thereon, said pins being disposed for pivotal projection through said registering apertures upon pivotal movement of said fourth plate toward said other of said pair of plates, means on said other of said pair of plates cooperating with said first pivotal plate to retain deposited coins of proper denomination in registry with said apertures, cam means fixedly mounted on a shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation on said housing, said cam means constantly engaging said fourth plate and upon rotation of said shaft in one direction effecting movement of said pins to their coin sensing positions, said coin sensing pins moving said third plate after engaging coins supported on said coin retaining means, said first pivotal plate having a projection thereon extending laterally from a side thereof, eccentric means mounted on said shaft for effecting reciprocation of said carriage, and means on said eccentric for engagement with said projection to prevent operation of said machine in the absence of coins of the proper denomination in registry with said apertures, said projection being moved out of the path of said eccentric on movement of said third plate.

2. A coin operated ticket receipting machine as defined in claim 1, and ticket severing means carried by said carriage and said housing, and means for impinging a portion of said severed ticket on a time carried by said housing.

3. A coin operated ticket receipting machine for a ticket having a stub portion, said machine comprising a housing, ticket guide means disposed in said housing, a plurality of ticket penetrating punches mounted as a unit in said housing adjacent said ticket guide means and adapted for reciprocation with respect thereto, eccentric means pivotally mounted on said housing and engaging said unit for effecting reciprocation of said punches, coin sensing means pivotally mounted within said housing, an eccentric stop movably mounted in said housing, cam means engaging said coin sensing means for effecting the coin sensing operation thereof, said cam means being operable with said eccentric means, means carried by said eccentric means engaging said stop to render inoperative said eccentric means in the event that less than the proper number of coins have been sensed by said coin sensing means in said housing, means for severing and stacking said stub portions of said tickets, said last-named mean including a ticket-stub piercing tine for supporting the stacked ticket stubs, said last named means being mounted in said housing, and movable means moved by said eccentric means actuating said last-named means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 541,298 Sturgis June 18, 1895 1,259,399 HipWell Mar. 12, 1918 1,506,491 Kline Aug. 26, 1924 2,075,092 Brook Mar. 30, 1937 2,144,564 Portman-Dixon Jan. 17, 1939 2,594,388 Broussard Apr. 29, 1952 

